Mothers Of Hope

03/15/2026

United We Win!!

03/14/2026

03/14/2026

Black Women’s Roundtable SiSTAR Award Nomination

Marletta Seats is a certified CCAR Recovery Coach and Recovery Coach Trainer devoted to healing individuals and strengthening communities impacted by trauma, incarceration, and substance use. She serves as Program Director of Fresh Start and Outreach Coordinator for Abundant Life Ministries in Benton Harbor, Michigan. A former Berrien County Commissioner and School Board President, Marletta bridges public service, faith leadership, and grassroots recovery work. She trains peer support specialists, mentors justice-impacted individuals, and connects families to resources that promote stability, dignity, and long-term wellness.

Marletta embodies the spirit of the Black Women’s Roundtable theme, United We Win: Freedom, Justice, Democracy, Safety & Opportunity for All. For decades she has served youth, seniors, survivors, and returning citizens—not only advocating for change but building pathways for healing.

Through her recovery leadership, Marletta equips others to serve. She has trained peer support specialists and recovery coaches across the region and works tirelessly in Benton Harbor, a community facing significant economic hardship, ensuring people have access to hope and structure.

At Mothers Of Hope, Marletta facilitated two peer support specialist training cohorts—including the first all-African American class—and currently volunteers twice monthly to lead a Living Recovery Workshop. Her work restores families, reduces stigma, and empowers individuals to move from survival to purpose.

Marletta’s leadership proves that justice includes restoration and safety includes healing. She uplifts communities not only through policy and faith, but through consistent presence, mentorship, and compassion.

“Marletta doesn’t just teach recovery — she models it. She helped us build leaders within our own community and created safe spaces where people learn to live again, not just stay sober.”

03/08/2026

Women's History Month always starts off with International Women of Color Day!

Women of color and their actions have been and will always continue to be integral to society's progression.

03/06/2026

Michigan’s Election officials work hard to ensure that every voter can cast their ballot and every vote is counted.
I support Michigan election workers!

02/28/2026

Discover the concerns and motivations of Black voters as the 2026 elections approach. This study explores political opposition and civic engagement.

02/26/2026

Honoring Attorney Dorphine Payne
Some people make history quietly.
Others reshape a community while lifting everyone around them.

Attorney Dorphine Payne did both.

In a time when doors were closed to many, she stepped forward and became the first Black attorney in Kalamazoo, breaking barriers not for recognition — but because justice demanded it.

Her work in the legal system helped open pathways for fairness and representation for people who had long been overlooked. She later helped build something that would change lives for generations: Kalamazoo’s Public Defender system, working alongside community leaders including Stephanie Williams and others to ensure that justice did not depend on a person’s income.

But those who know Attorney Payne know her impact reaches far beyond the courtroom.

At Mothers of Hope, she has served as Vice President and President, volunteering countless hours, raising funds, mentoring leaders, and helping guide the organization through seasons of growth and transformation. Her leadership helped strengthen a place where healing, recovery, and community support come together.

And behind every great woman is often a powerful love story.

For more than 50 years, Attorney Payne and her husband Vernon have built a life together grounded in faith, commitment, and partnership — the very epitome of Black love, resilience, and family legacy. Together they raised a family that reflects the same values she carries into the community: service, strength, and integrity.

To her children, she is a mother.

To her community, she is a protector.

To Kalamazoo, she is a pioneer.

Black History Month is about honoring those who paved the way so others could walk forward with confidence.

Because of women like Attorney Dorphine Payne, doors opened. Systems changed. Communities grew stronger.

And her legacy continues — in every young leader she encouraged, every family supported through Mothers of Hope, and every life touched by her commitment to justice.

We honor you.

We thank you.

And we celebrate your legacy.
🖤

02/25/2026

Meet Tameka Ramsey, a valued member of the TEDxPontiac Sponsorship Committee and a seasoned business consultant and strategist.

With over a decade of experience supporting businesses, nonprofits, and public leaders, Tameka specializes in helping organizations grow, scale, and sustain meaningful impact. Her background in social work and public administration uniquely positions her to understand both systems and people—bringing culturally competent, equity-driven solutions to every initiative she supports.

An alumna of the Build Institute, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program, and the National Entrepreneurship Association, Tameka blends data-driven strategy with deep community engagement. Through TEDxPontiac, she helps cultivate partnerships that strengthen mission, amplify impact, and ensure long-term success.